


Heart's Desire

by kesmonsterwrites



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band), Pentagon (Korea Band), SF9 (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Episode: s09e01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here, F/M, Insecurities, Neglectful Parents, Soulmate AU, Soulmates, changing soul marks, like they only had her so that she could take over the family business one day, tattoo soul marks, they don't give a shit otherwise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:15:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 16,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26184784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kesmonsterwrites/pseuds/kesmonsterwrites
Summary: Sooyeon lived under her parents' thumbs, always following what they want, even if she doesn't like it. It just stinks that she won't be with her soulmate...Hongseok isn't quite sure what to make of himself, he hopes that he can be good enough for his soulmate one day...Will these two capture their heart's desire, or will they succumb to their insecurities and duties?
Relationships: Yang Hongseok/Original Female Character(s), Yang Hongseok/Yeon Sooyeon, Yeo Changgu | Yeo One/Original Character(s)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys!  
> Thank you so much for taking the time to read my first chaptered/long fic that I've attempted!  
> I started writing in July and quickly felt overwhelmed, so I took a bit of a break from it... but now I'm excited to start working at it again!  
> I hope you enjoy~

The garden was calm, a few butterflies and bees flitting between the flowers as a small girl danced down the wide pathway. The bright colors along with the sun shining through the rows of flora and fauna made for a magical setting for imaginations to soar, to run wild. She swore she could see the tiny faces of fairies sticking out to watch her as she moved along the pathway, their eyes wide with curiosity. What would it be like to be that small, to be able to fly around and use magic in the garden? That would be… incredible. The child’s hair bounced behind her as she skipped down the path, twirling in place as she contemplated which pathway to take. Her yellow dress bounced around her legs, her giggle echoing in the air at the sensation. She stared up at the flowers, entranced by their beauty. Their scent wafted around her, making her smile even brighter than she already was. Spring was by far her favorite time of year - being able to spend time in the garden was something she looked forward to every day. The garden was her favorite place at her home - the one place that didn’t seem touched by her parents and seemed to be all her own. Even at such a young age, she felt free in the garden, almost like she could be herself…

“Sooyeon!” The little girl’s head turned towards the sound of her name, knowing who was looking for her. Her Nanny. She couldn’t remember the woman’s name, but she loved her just the same. She took care of her, played with her, told her stories… which was more than her mother had ever done. Or her father… The second shout of her name pierced through her thought. She should find her nanny now before the kind woman gets upset. She didn’t want to upset the one person who was kind to her in the whole house… Carefully, Sooyeon made her way back to the entrance of the garden, calling out to her nanny to let her know that she was almost there. 

At the sight of the little girl, Sooyeon’s nanny smiled, walking to the entranceway to meet the girl. “It’s time to head in for a nap little one, let’s go inside, okay?” They walk up to the house, hand in hand, Sooyeon talking the entire way about the garden, the flowers, and the fairies she swore she saw sitting among the plants. They entered through the back door of the house, which was really only ever used by them and the other staff that worked for Sooyeon’s parents. Slipping off their shoes, they walked carefully through the house, past the kitchen and dining room to get to the staircase. As they walked, Sooyeon could hear the voices of her parents coming from their office. They were always in the office, working on something, leaving no time for them to play with her. She stopped on the staircase, looking at the closed door as she listened to the muffled voices of her parents. She wondered what they talked about - what was so important that they spent all day in their… on a Saturday? Shaking her small head, she turned away and made her way up the rest of the stairs, following after her nanny and into her bedroom. Sooyeon shuts the door, and only then does she let out a giggle and run to her bed, jumping onto it face first as her nanny laughs. “You are silly little one… now let’s get you ready for a nap, okay?” The little girl nods her head, burrowing under the blankets on her bed. Her nanny tucked her in, brushing her hair away from Sooyeon’s face as she watched the little girl, waiting for the inevitable question.

“Can you tell me a story?” The woman sitting beside her smiles softly, nodding her head.

“What would you like to hear about today?”

“Can you tell me about…” Sooyeon’s face screws up in concentration, thinking carefully before speaking again. “Can you tell me about soulmates?” Sooyeon picks up her hand and slips it above the blankets, reaching towards her nanny and carefully touching the mark peeking out from under her short sleeve shirt. The woman nods, her smile warming up her face as she thinks about her own soulmate. And instead of telling Sooyeon a fairy tale, she tells her about soulmates in real life.

“For as long as humans have been around, there have been soulmates. No one is sure why the soul marks developed, but I believe it was to make sure that everyone would end up with someone that was the best for them… Anyway, soul mates have matching marks, called soul marks. Each soul mark is unique and only has one match in the entire world. And when two people with the same make meet for the first time, then they touch, their marks begin to feel very warm, and they change ever so slightly-”

“Did your mark feel warm? Did yours change?” Sooyeon can’t help her curiosity, the questions slipping past her lips in sleepy mumbles.

“Yes, little one, my soul mark did feel warm. And more stars appeared around my soul mark.” The nanny gently lifts her sleeve, showing the little girl the small galaxy that appeared on her shoulder. “Now, with soulmates, if you don’t find them by a certain age, your soul mate connection ceases to exist, and the soul mark disappears, and people can choose to not be with their soul mate…” The woman trails off, watching Sooyeon as her eyes drift close with sleepiness.

“But mommy and daddy aren’t soulmates… their marks are different…” Sooyeon trails off, finally slipping into a dream filled with flowers and fairies from the garden outside.

The nanny stands up from the bed, sighing deeply. “Yes… that sometimes happens to…” She slips out of Sooyeon’s room, leaving the girl to rest before they spend the rest of the day together. Sooyeon’s dreams, along with the fairies and flowers, also include a small boy, laughing and smiling at her as they run around and play together. She couldn’t really make out his face, but felt nothing but comfort and warmth in his presence.


	2. Chapter 2

Her parents may have updated the garden over the years (against her protests), but, even 15 years later, the space still held an air of magic and mystery for Sooyeon. Sooyeon’s favorite spot was a little waterfall that had been constructed near the edge of the garden, flowers and vines all around it with a few colorful koi swimming in the small pool under the falls. The whole area was peaceful and felt completely untouched by the outside world - it was Sooyeon’s escape from the stresses of everyday life and the pressure of having to follow her parent’s every wish. 

When she was a child, he had brushed off her parent’s behavior, only mildly wondering they never seemed to spend any time with her. It wasn’t until she was older that the thought had crossed her mind that her parents really didn’t care about her. Not about her as a human being at least. No, they only seemed to care what she could do for them… and this case, it meant what she could do to further the family business. Why couldn’t they get to know her, ask about what she wanted to do in life? Sooyeon sighed, shaking her head as she trailed her finger gently along the water in the pond. The bright koi fish came near the surface, swimming around her finder in the hopes of scoring something to eat - they were greedy little things, but sweet and calming to watch. 

Without a second thought, Sooyeon’s right hand, which had been lying by her side as she stared at the water, lifted to her left sleeve and unconsciously pulled it up, revealing the mark on her inner arm. Her fingers gently caressed the mark, picturing it in her eye and knowing exactly where she was touching, having memorized the mark since childhood. The mark was a saturated black, standing out against her skin, the tree trunk solid and strong as the bare branches reached up like a hallow. Sooyeon wondered what would happen to the mark when she met her soulmate. She knew others saw it as a dead tree, but to her, it was something much more hopeful. - a tree before spring. It was just waiting for some sunshine before blooming.

“Sooyeon!” The shout started the young woman, causing her hand in the water to flinch and scare the fish away. She quickly stood, brushing off her pants as she turned toward the voice, only to see the family’s cook standing in the pathway. “There you are dear, your mother was asking for you.”

Sooyeon can’t help the sigh that passes through her lips but quickly composes herself, rolling her shoulders back and pasting a soft smile onto her face. “Well, I better go see what she wants.” Of course, Sooyeon already knew what her mother wanted; she just didn’t really want to be a part of it today. This whole situation just made her feel like a pawn in a game of chess, only able to move in one direction based on what her parents wanted from her. She makes her way out of the garden, taking a few deep breaths of the floral scent in the air to try and keep herself calm and pleasant. As she walks slowly out of the garden, she can see her mother standing outside of the back door, waiting for her. Funny, her mother never used that door…

“Sooyeon, I told you that Youngbin and his father were coming today, now go change into something more suitable.” And without so much as a meaningful look at her daughter, Mrs. Yeon walked back into the house. Sooyeon sighed, following her mother into the house and trudging up to her room. 

More suitable always meant something cute, but nothing too “flashy.” She was supposed to be the picture of perfection - look like a woman who would stand by her future husband’s side and support him. Sooyeon laughed to herself as she searched through her closet. Her parent’s views on relationships and soulmates was almost unbelievable, and yet here she was, following what they wanted for her, even though it wasn’t at all what she wanted. She quickly settled on a purple floral dress that showed off her shoulders, but had long sleeves to cover her arms. Her parents had always hated that Sooyeon’s soul mark was on her inner left arm, a place that was easily visible. They made her hide it all the time as a child and even now, as an adult. 

Changing quickly and making sure she looked presentable, Sooyeon made her way to the family library. She normally loved the room - it was full of books and a comfy chair that she loved to curl up in on the nights she couldn’t fall asleep right away. But on days like this, the library seemed too cold, too empty, too large. Walking into the room, she didn’t see Youngbin there, which meant she had a few minutes to compose herself. She decided to walk to her favorite bookshelf, pulling out one of the books she hadn’t had a chance to read yet and started to read the first chapter. She soon heard the sound of the front door opening and shutting, her parent’s voices floating through the open door, sounding sickeningly friendly as they greeted Youngbin and his father. She hears the footsteps of the three adults walking to her parent’s office, the door shutting behind them. She continues to read, ignoring the presence of the boy who stood in the doorway.

If they hadn’t been thrown into this situation by their parents, she would have thought the young man was attractive. His dark hair framed his face and his eyes were dark and mysterious. Yet Sooyeon felt nothing but indifference in his presence. Youngbin walked toward her, stopping to stand in front of her. Sooyeon looks up, staring back at Youngbin as she waits for him to speak. When he doesn’t, she lets out a small sigh before speaking. “What are they discussing this time?”

“The merger, I think. For after we are married.” Youngbin speaks in a matter of fact, if not bored tone. Sooyeon knew he was being forced into this farce of a relationship, just like she was. But that didn’t make her like him anymore. She wanted the opportunity at least to meet her soulmate but with her parents the way they were… that wasn’t going to happen. She went back to her book, ignoring him as he walked to the other side of the library, taking a seat on the couch near a full bookshelf and pulling out his phone. 

Finally, after entirely too long, her parent’s and Mr. Kim come out of the office, Youngbin standing from his seat to leave. Neither Youngbin nor Sooyeon look at each other as the Kims leave, and Sooyeon refuses to look at her parents as she puts her book away and walks out of the library. She walks up the stairs and back up to her room, closing the door behind her and letting out a sigh. She walks to her window, looking out of the garden behind the house as she thinks through her life. Her parents had everything planned out for her and they expected full adherence to their plan. What would a future with Youngbin look like? Would she be the perfect trophy wife, sitting at home and being miserable without anything of her own to pursue? Is there even a way out of all of this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are enjoying it so far~ please let me know what you think?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You've met Sooyeon, and now, you get Hongseok!

Hongseok was so excited to move into their new home. He and his mom had lived in smaller apartments for most of his young life, but now, at age 8, he would actually be in a house. It was just the right size for the two of them, big enough where they could each have their own space, but not too large either. 

Hongseok jumped in his seat, looking out the window at the house, at their new home. His mother looked at him from the driver’s seat, smiling at his excitement. “You ready baby?” His nose wrinkled at the nickname, but he didn’t say anything. He could never deny his mom anything that made her happy, even if it was calling him by a ‘childish’ nickname. As his mother pulled into their new driveway, Hongseok couldn’t contain his excitement, bouncing even more as his mother giggled. He hadn’t heard her giggle in a while, the stress of the move getting to her - but he loved that they could both be happy in their new home. Once the car was parked and shut off, Hongseok bolted from the car, running to the small front yard and running around in circles. His mother followed him at a light jog, chasing him around as they laughed together. He didn’t see their new neighbors stepping out of their homes to greet them, how they stopped in their doorways at the sight of a boy with his mom - a single mom, no soulmate or partner around. He didn’t see the judgmental stares from his neighbor’s windows, too excited about his new home. But he would notice the stares later, would notice how some people kept their distance from them.

~

Hongseok had never known his dad and had never known his mom to be with anyone. It had always been the two of them. When he was nine, Hongseok decided to ask his mom about it. “Hey Mom… where’s my dad?” His mom looked up from the kitchen table, her eyes changing from curious to… a mix of sad and reminiscent. Her answer was simple - “He’s gone honey, but he was a great man” and his mother dropped the subject, going back to whatever she’d been doing before. Hongseok wasn’t satisfied. Everyone else around him had two parents - he was the only one with one. But the look in her eyes made him hesitate to bring up the topic again. 

That didn’t mean his questions were answered. Where had his father gone? Why had he left? Wasn’t he happy with his mom? As these questions swam around in his head, he couldn’t help but think that maybe… just maybe… his father had left them because of him. He never told his mother about this fear, but it was there just the same. That same insecure feeling, as well as the sadness in his mother’s eyes, appeared when he had asked about soulmates. During school that day, someone had asked their teacher about soulmates, and his teacher had told them the history of soulmates, how everyone had a mark on their skin that matched with only one other person in the world. When he asked his mom about it after school that day, she said a similar thing, that there was one person in the world, besides your parents, that were supposed to love you unconditionally, to be there to love and support you. 

This only made Hongseok think - where was her soulmate? Why wasn’t he around, had she ever found them? Maybe they didn’t really exist, maybe there wasn’t such a thing as soulmates. Maybe it was just a myth, a legend that people put their hopes in… But he also noticed the sadness in her eyes, and he decided to never ask her about it again. 

~

The only other constant person in his life was his best friend, Changgu. Changgu had asked about his dad not being around, about his mom being alone… but after Hongseok asked him not to bring it up, he never did. Changgu was always by Hongseok’s side, ready to have some fun and crack some jokes. As they grew up, they remained inseparable, doing most things together. The one thing that they didn’t do together was find their soulmate.

“Hongseok! You will never guess what happened this morning!” Changgu is way more excited than usual as they enter math class together - one of the few classes they actually share. 

“What happened?” Hongseok is genuinely curious - Changgu is never this excited before math…

“Well, I was running late this morning-” What else was new… “-and I wasn’t really paying attention as I ran into school-” of course he wasn’t… “-but I ran into them!”

“Ran into who?”

“Them! My soulmate!” Changgu’s eyes turn dreamy as he begins to describe his soulmate in detail, showing Hongseok how his soul mark had changed. The simple arrow that had been on his left wrist now sported decorative feathers and lines, which Changgu looked so happy about. 

“So, do you know their name? Who are they?”

“That’s the thing, they must be new, because I have no…” He trails off as a girl walks into the room, looking nervous and unsure as she approaches the teacher. Changgu starts hitting Hongseok’s arm lightly. “That’s her! That’s her!” The teacher introduced the new student - Anna - and had her sit down near the two of them. Hongseok watched throughout the year as Anna and Changgu got to know each other, watching them fall in love over the school year, and seeing their relationship over the years made him feel… almost jealous. Hongseok wanted that - wanted to have someone by his side and be there to support him, and he wanted to do the same for them. But he’s still not sure if soulmates are the real deal… He can see Changgu and Anna’s relationship, how they complement each other, and balance each other out, how they support and love each other. But his mother still didn’t have that person in her life… But whenever he sees soulmates together, he can’t help but feel a small emptiness in his chest.


	4. Chapter 4

The final day of school. The last day of his first year of university. And Hongseok could not wait to be done. Don’t get it wrong, Hongseok loved his classes and professors, but it was going to be so nice to be able to relax for a little while. University had been good to Hongseok - he’d enjoyed his classes and figured out that math classes just weren’t for him, and he really discovered his love of early morning workouts in the gym. Hongseok worked hard in class, wanting to do his very best. Since grade school, it had been his goal to make something of himself. He wanted to be able to support himself as well as help his mother. She had been supporting him his entire life, making sure he had everything he needed and even getting him new books constantly. He wanted to pay her back for all she had given him, and to him, so he pushed himself to do the best he could in school. But Hongseok also made sure to have fun. He made a few friends from his English and Writing classes, but stuck close with Changgu and Anna, who just happened to go to the same University as him. They spent time studying in the library, making late night trips to the convenience store for snacks, and making sure that all of them were enjoying their time at school. Hongseok wouldn’t change his first year for the world. But as he packed up his dorm room, he also couldn’t wait to get home. He loved to be able to shut himself in his room, or to sit out in the yard with a new book, enjoying the quietness and freedom of being alone (well, except when his mom was around - he enjoyed being in her presence too). 

The summer was full of down time and fun time for Hongseok. Not only did he get the chance to read a lot of the books that had been piling up in his room, he got to spend some quality time with his mother and with his best friends. He, Changgu, and Anna took several day trips to different areas, hiking in the area, hanging out in the park, and making sure to have fun. But being out and about meant that Hongseok not only saw Changgu and Anna’s soul mate relationship first hand, but he also saw others when he was hanging out with them. Seeing the couples around always made Hongseok feel conflicted. He wanted that type of relationship, that kind of happiness in his life. But he was also hesitant. There was only him and his mom, and the only friends that had really stayed with him throughout his life was Changgu, and when they met her, Anna. What if his soulmate decided not to stay? What if they thought he wasn’t good enough? He couldn’t take that type of rejection - he already felt this rejection from an absent father…

Hongseok sat on the front lawn of his house, a soft blanket underneath him and a book off to the side. He had been reading, but the thoughts of a soulmate and his conflicting emotions had distracted him. He laid back against the ground, sighing as he looked up at the sky. The clouds above moved slowly above his head, oddly grounding him as he watched them float across his view.. The next few years would be okay. He would focus on his studies, on getting good grades and working towards a good career. He would continue to hang out and spend time with Changgu and Anna, and he would have fun when he wasn’t studying. He would put the thought of soulmates from his mind. Besides, he didn’t think he would meet them anyway. There were so many people in the world, what were the chances that he would meet them while he was still in school? He closed his eyes, enjoying the slight breeze that tickled his cheeks. The comfortable summer weather calmed him, his breath slowly evening out as he drifted off to sleep. His dreams were filled with a young woman, someone he assumed was his age, dancing through what appeared to be a large garden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is so short! But I hope you still like it~


	5. Chapter 5

Sooyeon couldn’t wait for this weekend. It was finally the weekend she could go back to school and get away from her family. As she grew up, they only got more and more overbearing and controlling, and University was her escape. She could finally be herself, not have to listen and do everything her parents want and expect from her. 

The week before classes were supposed to start, Sooyeon began packing up all her belongings, moving everything into containers and boxes that she would be bringing with her to University. She and her best friend, Jiu, had decided to get a townehouse together, which meant more room for more of her things, which also meant that her new place would feel more like home, more than any dorm room had. 

The only items that Sooyeon left in her room had been gifts from her parents. The dresses and shoes they made her wear when Youngbin and his father came over, and anything that reminded her of their expectations. And Sooyeon was able to pack up the things she kept hidden in her closet - the photos from her first few years at university, her favorite books about plants, and the little knick knacks she had collected that she could just hear her mother telling her were “pointless and frivolous.”

But finally, finally, the weekend arrived. She could finally move back to University, into her new townehouse, and get back to enjoying her time away from her parents. With the help of some of the house staff, Sooyeon moved her boxes into her car, ready to head out. As soon as the car was packed, she could have just hopped in and left… but a thought made her hesitate. Maybe this would be the time that her parents said goodbye, and maybe they would act like they would actually miss her… maybe they would actually care? With a sigh, Sooyeon shook her head before turning around, trudging back into the house. Sooyeon knew exactly where her parents would be - they never seemed to be anywhere else. She walked quickly to their office, wanting to get this encounter over with. She carefully knocked on the door, peaking in to see her parents sitting at their desks, typing away.

“Well… I’m heading out…” Sooyeon stands, waiting for a response, but only gets a nod from her parents. They hardly acknowledge her. Her heart sank. They were her parents - why didn’t they seem to care about her at all. Without another word to them, she turned around, walking back out of the house and to her car. Sitting in the driver’s seat, she buckles herself in and turns the car on, then sits. As the tears begin to well in her eyes, she wipes them away, sniffling quietly. She will not let them get to her. She will have a much better time with her chosen family - her best friends. 

After collecting herself, Sooyeon put the car in drive and headed out. Listening to her favorite music, she put the thoughts of her parents out of her mind and thinks about how exciting the year ahead will be. She couldn’t wait to live with one of her best friends, having her own space away from the center of university where she could relax and unwind - a space that she could truly make her own. After a bit of a drive, she pulls up to the townehouse to see Jiu standing in the doorway. Her friends had dyed her long hair blonde, the waves currently up in a ponytail, and her round glasses perched on her nose. Jiu rushes towards Sooyeon’s car, opening the door as the car turns off in excitement. “You’re finally here!!! Oh my gosh!!!” Sooyeon leaps out of the car, wrapping her friend in the biggest hugs.

“Oh my god, I’m so happy to see you! And your hair, oh my god!!” Sooyeon pulls back slightly, wrapping Jiu’s hair around her fingers. “It looks so good!” The girls continue to chat and catch up as they move to the back of the car, working together to bring all of Sooyeon’s belongings into their new home together. Once the car was emptied, the girls blasted some music from the speaker system that Jiu had set up earlier, and got to work unpacking.

Sooyeon loved the way her room came out. The walls were a bright white, which made the light greys, purples, and blues stand out, giving the space a calm and soothing feel. She had strung lights all around the walls, adding blankets and nicknacks to make the space comfortable. And on a small table in the corner was her favorite part of her own room - her mini garden. Jiu had kept and taken care of her succulents over the summer, and Sooyeon was very happy to have them back in her care. And she couldn’t wait to start planting their little herb garden that they had planned for their kitchen area. Once her room was set up, Sooyeon made her way over to Jiu’s room, knocking on the doorway. “How’s it going in here? It looks great!” Jiu’s room was just as soft and homey as Sooyeon’s only with a slightly darker color scheme that made the space feel warm and worn in.

“I just need to add one finishing touch…” Jiu pushes up her glasses before hanging up one final poster above her keyboard. “Okay, done! Wanna take a break?”

“We should see if Hui is here yet, and recruit him to help set up the living room…” Hui was their other best friend, the last part of their little trio.

“Good idea! And see if he’ll get take out too?” Jiu asks with the cutest smile on her face that Sooyeon can’t help but laugh at. She calls Hui as she heads down stairs, assessing what needs to be done down stairs. Luckily, Hui is the best and quickly agrees to head over and help the girl unpack, food included.

Sooyeon and Jiu were dancing around their living room when Hui knocked on the door, Jiu moving to answer it while Sooyeon turned the music down so they would be able to catch up and chat. “I figured you wouldn’t have anything down here unpacked, so i made sure to bring utensils and everything.” Hui states as he walks through the front door, a takeout bag held high.

“OH MY GOD, Hui, you’re HAIR!!” Sooyeon and Jiu’s shouts almost make him drop the bag. After gushing over his now bright orange hair, the trio quickly clear a space on the floor, laying out their food and digging in. The evening is filled with laughter, stories, and fond memories between the friends. When they were finished eating and all cleaned up, the three friends got to work, setting up furniture, putting away everything that belonged in the kitchen, and decorating the walls to make the place inviting and bright. When they finished later that night, all three stood back, admiring their work.

“Well… that’s most of it done. Thank you for all of your help Hui, we really appreciate it!”

“Of course! I’ll always be here for my best friends” He quickly wraps his arms around both of you, pulling you in for a group hug. Now this was what friendship, what family, was all about.

~

The next day, Sooyeon and Jiu worked together to add the finishing touches and unpack the final boxes, and soon enough, their townehouse was completely unpacked, ready to be their new home for the rest of the school year.

“You know what I need right now?” Jiu turns towards Sooyeon, a small smile on her face.

“Some coffee?”

“Yes!”

“Thank god, I was just thinking the same thing!” They both laugh before walking upstairs to change into something less...sweaty to head out to your favorite cafe. The girls piled into Sooyeon’s car and took the short drive to the cafe.

They’d discovered the White Tulip Coffee Bar during their first year when they had been up way too late studying that it was now the next day and they needed a pick-me-up before class that wasn’t the coffee shop on campus. And ever since, it had become their favorite spot off campus to hang out and relax. They walked into the coffee shop to see their favorite spot open for them. Jiu goes to get their usual order while Sooyeon grabs their spot. It’s a plush little booth near the center of the shop, but gives them enough room to spread out a little without disturbing anyone. The girls sat across from each other, talking about their classes for the semester and what they’re looking forward to when Sooyeon sees a couple walk in. They held hands as they walked towards the counter, only looking away from each other to place their orders. Sooyeon watched as they giggled together - she wondered if they were soulmates…

“Sooyeon? Did you hear me?” Jiu’s voice shocks Sooyeon out of her stupor and she shakes her head, getting her thoughts back in order and not staring at the couple.

“I am so sorry, what were you saying?” But as Jiu restarted her story, Sooyeon couldn’t help but steal glances at the couple in the shop. If they were soulmates, they looked so happy together… and she couldn’t help but wish for that in the back of her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally we're at school... where life is about to change~ hehehe hope you liked it!


	6. Chapter 6

It was finally time for Hongseok to pack up his stuff and head back to University for the year. This year, he and his best friend Changgu had decided to get an apartment together, that way they wouldn’t have to be right on campus and they could have some space to themselves. Hongseok and his mom worked together with some music blasting to pack up his things. They had done this for the other years he went to school, it had now become a yearly tradition for them. They danced around the house, Hongseok working on packing his clothes while his mother helped gather other supplies for his new living room and kitchen. They shouted questions and answers to each other as they worked, both of them enjoying their time together before Hongseok left. They packed up his car together, working like a well-oiled machine to fit everything in his car. Hongseok was ready to jump in his car and head to school, but his mom quickly dragged him inside.

“Moooooom…”

“Shhhh no whining, I have a surprise for you!” Hongseok rolled his eyes but couldn’t stop the smile that came to his face. She was always doing something to surprise him or make him smile, something to show him how much she loved and supported him. Hongseok couldn’t wait until he could do all of those types of things for her. They walked into the kitchen, where Hongseok was shocked to see a spread of his favorite snacks and food. He can’t help but wrap his arms around his mom, giving her a tight hug. 

“Thank you, Mom. Really.” She only gave him a tight squeeze before pulling away to hand him a plate. They load up their plates with chicken, noodles, and his favorite dumplings before sitting at the table together, eating quietly and enjoying this moment together. Hongseok’s heart felt full and warm - his mom meant the world to him and he was so thankful to have her in his life.  
But soon enough, they were done eating, the dishes were washed, and the leftovers were packed away in containers and placed in a bag that Hongseok now held in his hands. After one final hug, Hongseok walked out to his car, turning on the radio to his favorite station before driving off to his new apartment and another great year at university. He waved at his mother as he drove away, so excited to meet up the Changgu.

When he pulled up to the apartment, Changgu and Anna walked outside to meet him, smiles on their faces. “You finally made it!” Changgu wrapped Hongseok in a quick hug before patting his back and letting him go. Anna was quick to hug him next, giving him a quick squeeze before letting go.

“So… let’s get you unpacked, okay?” Hongseok nods and the three of them get to work, emptying the boxes out of his car and moving them into his room and into other spaces in their new place. The three of them work together, Anna working in the living room while the boys worked together to get Hongseok’s room set up. They decided that working in silence was too boring, their favorite music blasting from their phone speakers as they worked. In no time at all, his bed was made, desk was set up, and the rest of the room was decorated. Changgu stepped out, wanting to check on Anna and her progress with the living room, and Hongseok shut the door gently behind him. He let out a little sigh, closing his eyes. He loved his best friend, he really did. But he was happy to finally have a little time to himself. He also loved being around Changgu and Anna, but sometimes… he couldn’t help the sigh that left his lips again. He loved seeing their relationship, seeing how well they complimented each other and supported each other. But he also felt conflicted. He wanted that type of relationship, wanted that support and love. But he also didn’t want that. He felt… almost unworthy of that type of love.

He took a few minutes to collect his thoughts and take a few breaths before exiting his room and meeting back up with his friends. As they unpack more boxes in the shared spaces, they talked about the upcoming school year, the classes they were excited for, what they wanted to check out in their off time. While they work, they pick at the leftovers that Hongseok brought with him, but when they got really hungry, Anna offered to order takeout for the three of them.

They sat together on the floor, watching one of their favorite shows on the newly-set up television. They laughed at the character’s antics, yelling at their stupidity and commentating their decisions.They all stay up way to late, Anna staying the night as they all crawled into bed, too tired to do much of anything else.

~

The next morning, Hongseok wakes up to a quiet apartment, his room filled with some light coming through the curtains he forgot to close the night before. He decides to use the day to finish organizing his things and getting ready for his classes tomorrow. He took his time getting ready for the day before carefully moving things around his room, setting things up in their new proper place. 

When he’s finished, he curled up in a ball on his bed with a new book, opening to the first page and diving in. He got wrapped up in the story, unaware of how much time had passed until there was a knock at the door. Hongseok jumps slightly, turning to his bedside table to look at the clock there. It was afternoon already? “Come in,” he calls out to whoever knocked on his door… which he soon discovers is Anna.

“Hey… Changgu and I are going to head to a new cafe we found, you want to come?” Hongseok loved that they did their best to include him in things, but sometimes he really hated being the third wheel. Today, he could tell, would be one of those days.

“Thanks Anna, but I’m good… enjoy your time with Gu though, okay?” Anna smiles softly, nodding as she backs out of the room and shuts the door behind her. Hongseok wants to go back to reading, but now feels distracted. While he sits alone in his room, he gets the nagging feeling she should have gone along with them, like something amazing would have happened if he had… but he quickly shook off the thought. It was better to let the soulmates spend some time together anyway.


	7. Chapter 7

Classes have officially started, and Sooyeon was determined to start the year off right. As soon as she woke up, she stretched her sore muscles (unpacking really took a lot out of a person) and made her way out of bed. Yawning and ruffling her hair, she makes her way to the kitchen window to her little herb garden that she planted yesterday. Checking on the plants to make sure they were doing alright, Sooyeon couldn’t help her small smile. Having her plants in her own space was something she always wanted, and her townehouse with Jiu was the perfect opportunity for her to grow her own plants, and in this case, put them to good use when they were fully grown.

Plants had been something she’d loved for a very long time, but she knew her parents wouldn’t approve of her love and hobby. They wanted her to follow in their footsteps - help take over the family business and become a force in the business world. They didn’t care if she had other interests, she would follow the life they had planned out for her.   
Sooyeon sighed, leaning against the counter. No, she wouldn’t allow herself to think about it - it would only bring her down. Shaking the thoughts out of her head, she fills up the kettle and sets it to boil before walking upstairs, checking to make sure Jiu was awake (which she was, of course).

Sooyeon’s classes for the semester were a mixed bag. She really enjoyed the marketing class she had decided to take, and gave her a different view on how marketing was done in the age of social media. And the Genetic class she was taking (really without her parents’ knowledge) was amazing - she loved learning about the genetics of plants and how she could crossbreed for different colors and potentially new species. But her business classes… they had always bored her, but this semester it was especially rough. Considering the classes were about accounting and management, she knew they would be useful in the future… but she always found herself incredibly bored in the classes. She still paid attention and did very well, but… because she was expected to use the knowledge in her family’s business, it didn’t hold the same appeal as her genetics class. Luckily, Jiu was in the marketing and management classes with Sooyeon, so she at least had a friendly face. 

The friends and roommates were often seen together outside of classes too. Although they both had extracurriculars (Jiu worked in a bakery during the week, and Sooyeon tutored some of the first-year business students), they met up to study and do homework together in the library or in the busy coffee shop on the university campus. 

Sometimes, Hui joins them when he’s not busy, but instead of studying, he is often writing new songs and trying to book gigs for his band. Sooyeon and Jiu always make sure to go to his gigs, cheering and dancing around in front of the stage. But most nights, they spend time inside, cooking dinner, doing homework, and taking well-deserved brain breaks. Tuesday nights, Hui would come over for game night, where the friends often ended up yelling, their competitive streaks getting the best of them. But it was all in good fun, and the night usually came to an end after they were in a pile on the floor, full-on belly laughing.

So far, the semester wasn’t too bad, but Sooyeon always got a tingly feeling in her stomach when she passed the building where   
she knew English classes were held… 

~

Hongseok was excited for the start of the semester, especially because he had so many English classes. The only problem was that he hadn’t been able to fall asleep the night before, so he had decided to start a new book, which he had ended up finishing in the early hours of the morning. Which meant that he completely slept through his alarm. He was sprawled out on his bed, the book open on his chest as he breathed deeply in his sleep. Changgu had noticed that he wasn’t up and about yet, which was odd for Hongseok, so he went to check on his friend. Seeing him asleep, he quickly woke him up. “Dude, you’re gonna be late if you don’t get up now.” Hongseok jumps out of bed, flinging the book against his floor in his rush to get out of bed and get to the shower. He showered and dried off in about five minutes, running back to his room with a towel wrapped around his waist to get dressed. Then he was running back to the bathroom, trying to brush his teeth and style his hair at the same time (it didn’t work, but he did try). Before rushing back to his room, Hongseok stopped himself, took a deep breath, and looked at his reflection in the mirror. His clothes were alright, skin clean, and hair not a total mess - he was good to go. He walked back to his room, grabbing some sneakers and sitting at his desk to slip them on. He grabbed his backpack, which he had packed the day before, and walked out of his room. As he reached the kitchen, he saw a banana and to-go coffee thermos on the counter with a note from Changgu -- make sure you don’t skip breakfast bro! --. He was grateful for his best friend.

His morning may have been rushed, but he was ready to go for his first class - a songwriting course in the music department. It was something he’d been interested in taking for a while, and would give him a new perspective on writing that his English classes didn’t give him. When he walked into the classroom, he only recognized one person - his friend Hui. Well, friend might have been a stretch. But they had shared a class last year and had gotten to know each other. Hongseok quickly made his way to the seat beside Hui, smiling at the other students as he passed. Hongseok pays attention in his music class, and in all of his other classes too - he can’t afford to not do well. If he wanted to be able to support his mom one day, he had to do well…

Classes fly by, and soon enough, Hongseok finds himself studying and doing his homework back in his room, the peace and quiet making it easier for him to pay attention to the work in front of him. Somedays, he would study in the library at a table by himself, but that was only if he was feeling somewhat sociable. He would usually eat when we was done with his work, then he would head to the gym to get his workout in for the day. By the time he was done, he’d spend some time hanging out with Changgu before he headed to bed. 

There were some days that his routine changed, but that was mostly due to Changgu and Anna dragging him out to different events. He wouldn’t admit it, but Hongseok enjoyed when his friends dragged him out somewhere - he liked the new experiences he had with them. Some of his favorite times have been because they dragged him out. But sometimes they had nights-in together. Hongseok would make dinner for the three of them while Anna and Changgu set up whatever activity they had planned, whether it was a movie night with a blanket fort for three, or an intense game of poker using candy as chips (which Changgu sometimes ate instead…). 

Hongseok felt pretty good about the semester so far - he really did enjoy his English classes. One day, his professor assigned them a free write for part of the period. Hongseok loved free writes. He could let his imagination run wild, writing about anything he felt like. But today, he felt… distracted. His desk was by the window, and he couldn’t help but look out the window, trying to find something to inspire him and pull him out of his distracted state. He spotted a girl with black flowing hair walking along the pathway in front of the building he sat in. A tingling sensation started up in the stomach as the girl turned her head, seeming to look right at him through the window. Although he knew that wasn’t possible - she couldn’t see him from where he was sitting now. But there was something about the girl that fascinated him… he wished he could know more… He turned back towards his desk, picking up his pen. He knew what he was going to write about for his free write...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to do a combined POV for this chapter, and I actually kind of like the way it turned out... hehe


	8. Chapter 8

A few weeks into the semester and Sooyeon was feeling really good. Classes were going well, her plants were flourishing, and she was out from under her parent’s thumb - she felt more free than she had in a long time. And she was ready to cut loose and have some fun this weekend. And lucky for her, Hui had a gig this weekend.

“Open up!!” Hui knocked on the girls’ front door rather loudly, banging his fist against it quickly. Sooyeon shook her head, getting up from the couch to open the door for their friend. Hui walks in briskly, orange hair windswept away from his face. “Cancel your plans for the evening. I have a last minute gig.”

“Last minute?”

“You do?” Jiu runs down the stairs in excitement, speaking at the same time as Sooyeon. The friends all dissolve into a fit of giggles before Hui speaks again.

“Yea, the band that the bar booked canceled last minute and he gave us a call. You are coming, right?” His bottom lip pokes out in the slight pout. He might be older than the girls by a little bit, but sometimes Sooyeon swore he was the youngest.

“Of course we’ll be there! Right Sooyeon?” Jiu looks at her with excitement glittering in her eyes. Sooyeon laughed at her friend and roommate.

“Of course we’ll be there! What time do you start?” Hui cheers before giving you the time and location, then quickly dashes out the door, probably to go around and tell his other friends about the gig. Jiu checks the time on her phone. 

“Okay, we have a little bit of time… we can finish some work, eat something, then get ready and head out. Sound good?” Sooyeon nods, heading back to the couch to finish the piece of homework she had been working on.

Jiu made them a light dinner (she had finished her work first), then the girls moved upstairs to get ready for their night out. Sooyeon tamed her hair, keeping it down but adding oil to it to (hopefully) keep her hair in check. She changed into an outfit she hadn’t really tried before - a pair of black jeans with a few rips in them, and a tighter-fitting plum lace shirt. The lace was pretty thick, but there was a lining fabric that covered everything important, and the square neckline gave a hint of cleavage, but not too much. Paired with a denim jacket and some cute booties, she was almost ready to go. She decided to add a little bit of makeup - just some highlight, mascara, and a touch of lip gloss. Sooyeon inspected herself in the mirror - everything was in place and she was ready to go. She grabbed her wallet and her keys, ready to drive herself and Jiu to the bar.

When they get there, they quickly grab a drink for themselves before making their way towards the stage area. Hui always grabbed them a table near the front, and sure enough, they found a table with some band supplies around it, Hui’s jacket on a chair.

“You guys made it!” Sooyeon turns towards the stage, seeing Hui waving at them. 

“Of course we did, we said we would!” The girls laugh as Hui’s bandmates wave at them in the same way Hui was, playing up the dramatics to tease their bandmate. Sooyeon and Jiu wait as the band sets up, chatting and glancing around. Sooyeon could feel a slight tingling building in her stomach, but pushed it away as Hui’s band began to play. She and Jiu quickly stood, dancing and singing along to their friend’s music.

~

“Hey Hongseok, you’re friends with Hui, right?” Changgu asks as soon as he walks into their apartment, spotting Hongseok cooking in their shared kitchen. He looked up, nodding at his best friend before going back to his cooking. He was actually kind of excited for his ramen. 

“Well, better cook and eat fast - his band has a gig tonight and we’re going!” 

“What if I had plans?” Changgu shoots him a look that says “dude you never have plans” before the boys both laugh. “Okay, okay.   
I’m almost done cooking. Then I’ll eat and get ready.” Hongseok looks down at his ramen, stirring before taking it off the stove. He was actually kind of excited for his new impromptu plans - he had a good feeling about it…

The boys got ready quickly before picking up Anna and heading to the bar together. They grab their drinks before making their way to a back wall, ready to enjoy the music. A few songs in, Anna and Changgu had moved forward into the crowd, dancing along to the music. Hongseok had stayed put, not wanting to be in the middle of the crowd. The music was good though - he was very impressed by Hui. He knew his classmate was the mastermind behind the band. He had written a lot of the music and was a musical genius as well as a good singer. Seeing him in action was really eye-opening. And made him wonder why the hell the boy was in a songwriting class…

He looked down at the drink in his hand, noticing that it was empty. Standing up straight, he makes his way through the crowd and over to the bar. But before he can reach it, he feels someone stumble into his side, like they tripped or were pushed into him. His hands shot out to steady the person, and that’s when he felt it. The warmth. The internal warmth that seems to spread from the places he and this other person had to the mark that was visible on his left forearm.

Sooyeon hadn’t meant to fall into the other person. She’d tripped over her own two feet and felt like a complete fool. But as soon as she fell into the person’s side and they reached out to steady her, she felt a warmth travel from where his hands touched her all the way to the soulmark on her arm.

Both of them quickly look at their marks, Sooyeon rolling up her sleeve to get a closer look at hers. They watched as the barren trees on their arms slowly began to shift, little white blossoms appearing over the branches. This was it. They had met their soulmates.

Sooyeon and Hongseok looked up at each other, unsure of what to say but not wanting to leave the other’s presence. But before either can open their mouths, Anna is walking up to Hongseok, a drunk Changgu behind her. “Someone drank a little too much… can you drive us back.” Hongseok nods, turning back to the gorgeous girl in front of him. He hated to leave her now that he just found her…

“It’s fine, I get it.” She smiles softly at him. Shit like this happened all the time, it was no big deal. Besides they would definitely find each other again. “Could I see your phone? He knew what she wanted, immediately pulling out his phone and pulling up a blank text message. She sends herself a message, handing his phone back to him. Hongseok nods, waving at her before turning to drive Changgu and Anna back home. He’s nervous, after all, he had never really had a good example of soulmates in his life besides Changgu and Anna, but he could feel a glimmer of hope budding in his chest. He couldn’t wait to get to know this girl. 

Sooyeon watched him walk away, nervous because the man literally had not spoken a word, but hopeful. She had felt safe in his presence despite having actually run into him at a bar. She couldn’t wait to get to know him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They finally met!!
> 
> I hope you're enjoying it so far!


	9. Chapter 9

The two soulmates who had just met laid in their beds that night, unable to fall asleep. Hongseok laid with his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. He had met his soulmate. His soulmate. The one person in this world who was supposed to be his other half. And he was both hopeful and scared as hell. On the one hand, the thought of having someone special in his life, someone who had been made just for him… it was exciting. But on the other hand… he was freaking out. What if she didn’t like him, or thought he was weird… or didn’t want to be with him? These conflicting thoughts swirled around his head, confusing him and making the anxiety rise in him. It was starting to all feel so overwhelming… which was why he was relieved when his phone went off, letting him know he had a new text message. Lifting the phone, he sees a notification from a number he doesn’t know. But he has a sneaking suspicion he knows who it’s from - her.

~Hey… I hope you’re having a good night, even if you had to leave… I was wondering if you wanted to meet up tomorrow? To talk?~

Hongseok’s heart lifted as the anxiety slowly sunk. She wanted to meet up with him? Well, maybe she didn’t think he was a complete weirdo afterall for not saying anything. He quickly typed out his response before setting his phone down and rolling over to sleep.

Sooyeon felt nervous as she waited for her soulmate’s response. Her soulmate. She almost couldn’t believe that she had found him - it seemed too good to be true. But as she lifted her arm to examine her soulmark and the changes it had made because of him… she smiled. She thought about the warmth that had flooded her at his touch, how safe and… cherished she felt under his gaze. Like he would do anything to make her happy and support her, like he wouldn’t let anything bad happen to her… She could feel the slight nerves brewing in her chest. She knew her parents wouldn’t approve, but she couldn’t help but feel hope bubble in her heart.   
Her phone lit up with a notification - a reply from her soulmate. 

~I would love to. Meet me by the University fountain around 1?~

She smiled brightly, sending an affirmative message before putting her phone away. She cuddled down into her blanket. She was really excited for tomorrow.

~

Hongseok nerves almost got the best of him. Almost. But he still got himself ready and walked himself to the fountain. He may have been half an hour early, but he couldn’t help it. He knew the only way he would actually get there to meet his soulmate was if he showed up to their meeting early. He sat on a nearby bench, sitting in silence as he looked around, waiting nervously for his soulmate.

Sooyeon was nervous, but also excited to finally be able to talk to her soulmate. As she walked towards the center of campus where the fountain is, her heartbeat begins to beat almost as fast as hummingbird wings. She could see a man sitting on a bench alone, his back to her as he looked around. She could tell he was a little nervous, but the excitement was building even more. She walked over to the bench, sitting on the other end and turning to look at him. Seeing him in the daylight instead of in the dim lights of the bar made his gorgeous features stand out even more. The first thing she noticed was his plush lips as then turned up in a small smile. Then she noticed the rest of him, and the only thing she could think was ‘holy shit how is this man even real??’

Hongseok looks up as someone sits down next to him. Looking over he sees his soulmate, and all he can think is ‘how is this girl so gorgeous??’ He’s drawn in by her eyes, how bright and warm they were - he could feel himself falling for her in that moment.  
They both sat in silence, unsure of what to say at first, until Sooyeon decided to start off simple and sweet.

“I’m Sooyeon… and I guess we’re soulmates?”

Hongseok can’t help but laugh at how sweet his soulmate - she had eased his nerves with a simple statement and the cutest question.

“I’m Hongseok, and I guess we are.” He turns, holding out his left arm to show her his soulmark. She does the same, and they look at the matching marks in awe. This was really happening, and the identical marks proved it. They were both a mess of nerves and excitement, happy to finally be able to talk. After the ice was broken, conversation flowed easily. They talked about classes, their passions, their favorite things before they got back to the subject of soulmates.

“So… how do you feel about this whole thing? Soulmates and all…”

Sooyeon looks down at his hands, which just happen to be tangled with Hongseok’s. “I’m… a little nervous about it honestly. But I’m willing to see where this goes?” When she looks back up at him, Hongseok is watching her carefully, eyes holding a little apprehension that melts away with her answer. 

“That’s actually how I feel too… I want to see where this goes.” Their fingers intertwine and Hongseok squeezes her hand gently. 

“You know, a date would probably be a good place to start.” 

Sooyeon laughs, quickly nodding her head in agreement. 

“Okay, I’ll text you about later, once I figure things out?” 

“Are you sure?”

“Yes - I am the one that asked you out, I’ll be the one planning this date.” He puffs his chest out slightly, as if to prove he can do it, which only makes Sooyeon laugh even more.

“Okay okay, just let me know a date and time, okay?” 

They stand, still holding hands and unsure of what to do. Should they walk away, hug, shake hands? Sooyeon gives her head a slight shake before letting go of his hand, reaching up to give him a hug. He feels warm in her embrace and she can’t help but melt a little bit into his arms. Hongseok is a little shocked by the hug, but he quickly wraps his arms around Sooyeon, pulling her in closer. 

They pulled away with soft smiles, going their separate ways, both feeling the excitement of a new and budding relationship. Hongseok pulls out his phone as he walks, typing up a quick message and sending it before putting his phone away, a smile taking over his lips.

Sooyeon can feel her phone go off and pulls it out, reading the message he sent you.

~I’m excited for our date~

She quickly types her message back, unable to keep the smile from her face.

~Me too~


	10. Chapter 10

Hongseok paces through the apartment. Where is he supposed to take Sooyeon. What would she like to do? Something outdoorsy? Something active? Or would she rather relax? Would she want a whole meal? Or would they talk the entire time? His anxieties over the date bounced around in his bed, making him feel confused and uncertain. What was he supposed to do? Nothing was coming to him and he needed to figure out where to take her…

Hongseok quickly makes his way over to Changgu’s room, knocking on the door.

“What’s up?” Changgu’s voice sounds confused - Hongseok never knocks on his door like that…

“I need your help.”

“With what?”

“A date.”

Changgu is shocked. A date? Since when does Hongseok has a date? He quickly opens the door, staring at his best friend and roommate. “You have a date? With who?”

“You know, this was a bad idea, I’ll figure it out.” Shame overtook him, causing him to turn around and start heading back to his room. Changgu stops him with a hand on his shoulder. 

“No no no, we’ll call Anna over and help you out. Must be an important date if you’re this worried about it.”

“Yea, you would say that…” Hongseok trails off, smiling gratefully as his best friend pulls out his phone to call his soulmate.   
Hongseok’s hand unconsciously reaches for his own soulmark, gently tracing the trunk of the tree.

When Anna came over, they all sat in the living room. “So, you have a date? That’s so exciting!”Anna looks so happy for him that Hongseok is put a little bit at ease. But only a little. He takes a deep breath, calming his nerves before speaking.

“So…. At the bar? I um…. I met my soulmate that night.”

“YOU DID!?!?!” Anna’s shout was full of happiness and excitement as she shot up, quickly wrapping Hongseok in a hug before sitting back down beside Changgu. “Hongseok, this is so exciting! I’m so happy for you!”

Hongseok can’t help but smile - Anna’s positivity always had a way of making him feel better… he could tell them about his worries about the date. 

“Yea… and we met up earlier today-”

“I was wondering why you went out when you’re usually in all day studying - ow!” Changgu cracks an all-too accurate joke before Anna lightly slaps his arm, getting him to stop teasing his best friend. After a nod from Anna to continue, Hongseok went on.”

“So, we met up today, and we decided to see where things went, since we’re both nervous about the whole soulmate thing… And I told her I would plan our first date - I just have to send her a time and a date, but I have no clue what to do!” Hongseok hides his face in his hands, embarrassed over his own emotions and actions. Why was he so unsure of himself? Why didn’t he know what to do about this?

“Hongseok, it’s totally normal to feel unsure and nervous…” Anna starts, reaching out to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Seok, you remember how nervous I was asking out Anna - it’s totally normal.” Changgu finally seems to realize that this wasn’t the time to joke around and tease his friend, instead following Anna’s lead to reassure him.

“Okay, but where am I supposed to take her? What am I supposed to do? Why the hell did I offer to plan this??” Hongseok runs his hands through his hair, his frustration with himself building. 

“I think… I think for a first date, simple is better. You want to get to know her without worrying about a whole lot…” Anna starts simply, thinking of different options.

“There’s the classic dinner and a movie?” Changgu throws out an idea, but both Anna and Hongseok shake their heads. Suddenly, Anna perks up.

“White Tulip Coffee Bar!”

“Huh?” Hongseok is confused - he’s never heard of this coffee bar. 

“Changgu and I went there before the semester started - it’s a little ways off campus and it’s really cute! And the drinks and pastries are really good too!”

Hongseok stops and thinks about it, deciding a cafe was probably the best choice. “Thank you both, I think I’ll take her there… I hope she likes it!” He gets up from his seat and walks back to his room before turning right back around to ask them another question. “When you two met… were you nervous?”

Changgu laughs lightly, nodding his head. “Dude, you remember how nervous I was!”

Anna giggles, also nodding her head. “I had just moved the area, and all of a sudden, there was the person I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with? It was really nerve wracking. But, being open with how I was feeling really helped us, I think.” Changgu nodded in agreement, smiling over at his soulmate. Hongseok nodded at the two of them in thanks, turning back around and going back to his room. 

He shuts his door, sighing while thinking of his future date with Sooyeon. He quickly pulls out his phone, texting her the location, date, and time. Sooyeon quickly responds with a thumbs up and a ~I can’t wait~, making Hongseok’s heart flutter lightly in excitement. He can feel the hope building up in his heart. Maybe this date will be lowkey and will go well. Maybe Sooyeon will accept him for who he is and think he is enough… maybe she will stay. He wants to believe in soulmates… and maybe this date will be the start of him believing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanna give Hongseok a big hug and tell him it will all be okay... he only deserves the best


	11. Chapter 11

Sooyeon stared at her phone after she sent her reply, looking at Hongseok’s messages about their date. They were actually going on a date. She had actually met her soulmate. She couldn’t wait, but she was also nervous. What if she couldn’t be with Hongseok - what if her parents didn’t allow her?

But her parents weren’t here at University… they couldn’t very well stop her from going on this date. She was determined to go and enjoy herself with Hongseok. Nodding to herself and feeling determined, she put her phone beside her bed, rolling over to sleep for the night. She couldn’t wait for her date and getting to know him…

~

Sooyeon and Jiu had invited Hui over for a study session the night before her date, but Sooyeon couldn’t focus.   
“Sooyeon, you okay?” Hui’s eyes are filled with concern for his friend, worried after seeing her stare off into space for the past five minutes, which was very unlike her.

“Yea, I just….. Um… “ Sooyeon hesitates, unsure of what to say.

“Sooyeon… you were acting weird this morning too… did something happen? Jiu also sounds concerned, and Sooyeon realizes she’s very much worried her friends with her odd behavior. 

“Nothing bad has happened… it’s just… I met my soulmate.” Her friends stop, staring at her in shock.

“You met your soulmate???” “You did?? When???” They spoke over each other in their excitement to get answers from her.

“Oh my god, stop I’ll tell you!” Sooyeon can’t help but laugh at her friends' reactions. “I actually met him at your gig Hui, I ran into him on the way to the bar.”

“You ran into him?” “Oh my god were you okay?”

Sooyeon couldn’t help the laugh that left her lips as they again spoke at the same time. “I’m fine, I just tripped over my own feet and fell into him. He caught me though, and this… this warmth shot through my body and straight to my soulmark, and when I looked at it, it changed.” She lifted the sleeve of the sweatshirt she was wearing to reveal the mark on her inner arm, showing off the blossoms that had bloomed on the barren tree. They oohed and aahed over the changes to her mark, talking excitedly over the changes and how excited they were for her. They were even more excited to know that she would be going on a date with her soulmate, Hongseok, the next night.

Soon, the conversation divulged into soulmates in general. Hui and Jiu still hadn’t met their soulmates, but they were excited to meet theirs. Both of their soulmarks were in more conspicuous places, Jiu’s on her right hip and Huis on the back of his right shoulder, so finding their matching soul marks was more difficult. But they couldn’t wait for the day that their soulmates entered their lives.

As her friends talk, Sooyeon can’t help but feel excited and more hopeful - maybe she can be happy with her soulmate, just like her friends will be on day…

~

The next day, Sooyeon goes through her classes with an excited energy. She couldn’t keep herself calm, too excited for her date with Hongseok. When she finished her classes, she rushed back to her apartment, wanting to make sure she was ready for her date. 

She decides to leave her hair mostly down, only pinning a few pieces away from her face. Looking through her closet, she found a blue shirt that she hadn’t worn in a while. It was one of her favorites, so she immediately pulled it out, finding cute jeans and booties to match. After changing and finishing her makeup, she waited until it was time to leave, not even attempting to do her work because she knew that she wouldn’t be able to focus properly on it.

Sooner than she would have liked (she still hadn’t really calmed her nerves down), it was time to head out and drive to the Coffee Bar. As she drove there, she took several deep breaths, doing the best to calm herself. This was just a date with her soulmate, no big deal… right?

She parked her car near the Coffee Bar, and sign on the front, “White Tulip Coffee Bar” shining bright in the dimming light of sunset. She took one final breath before opening the door, shutting it behind her and she made her way into the coffee shop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Their date is next! Are you excited?


	12. Chapter 12

Hongseok is sitting at a table near the far side of the White Tulip Coffee bar, looking around nervously. As he looked around, he took in the interior of the coffee bar Anna had been right, the place was cute - clean and modern with some floral decor. The perfect spot for a quiet first date where he could get to know Sooyeon. As he waited, Hongseok constantly checked his phone - why did he show up 15 minutes early - and fidgeted in his seat - running her fingers through his hair and bouncing his leg. He was excited and anxious, a whole mix of emotions. 15 minutes early was too good, he was here way too early, he was going to look pathetic… 

He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn’t notice Sooyeon’s car pulling up outside of the coffee bar. He didn’t notice her step out of the car or walk to the door. No, he saw her right after she walked through the door, the setting sunlight shining through the doorway behind her, making her look like an angel on Earth, an angel meant just for him. He stood from his seat instinctively, watching as she looked around before meeting his eyes, a soft smile coming over her face. She made her way towards him, weaving through the tables in a familiar manner. His mood instantly lifts at seeing her, a warmth spreading through him at the sight of her smile.

When Sooyeon walked through the door, she looked around, taking in the familiar interior with happiness. She was really happy Hongseok had chosen White Tulip - she didn’t know how he knew this was one of her favorite places, but being in the familiar space gave her an air of comfort. She finally sees Hongseok as he stands from his seat, looking at her with stars in his eyes and a smile of his lips. She returns his smile, quickly making her way through the familiar space and to the table he’s chosen. The two-person table is small and cozy, with comfortable chairs to sit in. Hongseok moves around the table to pull out the other chair for her, handing a drink menu her way as he returns to his seat. She felt like an absolute princess - a great impression from her date.

“Did you find the place okay?”

Sooyeon can’t help but laugh, slightly confusing Hongseok. “This is actually one of my favorite places away from campus - I come here probably too often.”

Hongseok laughs - what a coincidence that Anna would suggest one of his soulmate’s favorite places. “Well then, I guess you should tell me what’s good, huh?” Hongseok jokes, fanning his face with the menu. Sooyeon bursts into a fit of giggles, quickly snagging the menu from his hand and opening it to show him her favorite drinks. And instead of looking at the menu, Hongseok stares at Sooyeon - she really is amazing…

“Hongseok?”

As Sooyeon says his name, he shakes his head, apologizing. “Sorry, I got lost in thought. Won’t happen again.”  
Sooyeon guessed what he’d been thinking about and forgave him, after all, she is doing her best not to be distracted by him. She turns back to the menu, holding it between them. “So these two are my absolute favorite-” She points to two drinks right next to each other, watching Hongseok as he studies them carefully. 

“How about we get both then?”

“Sounds good!”

“I’ll be right back then.” Hongseok nods confidently before standing and walking to the counter, menus in hand to return. Sooyeon uses the opportunity to study Hongseok while he orders. While he outwardly exudes confidence, she can’t help but feel a hidden nervousness. He spoke clearly to the cashier, joking around with the employees as he paid and waited for their drinks. But his hands fidgeted the whole time, fingers constantly intertwining and moving around. He was a little bit of a contradiction, and Sooyeon was intrigued to get to know him. 

Soon enough, Hongseok was back at their table, a small tray in one hand with their drinks, and a plate of pastries in the other. “I hope you don’t mind, but I figured I couldn’t just treat you to drinks tonight…” His cheeks flushed as he placed everything down, sitting down quickly across from her.

“That’s totally fine… their pastries are really good too!” She excitedly reaches for a small croissant, pulling it apart in her hands and popping a piece in her mouth. “Mmmm it just melts in your mouth - try it!” She rips off another peace, handing it to Hongseok as she giggles. His eyes had gone wide as he watched her eat, and he needed to shake his head to focus on the piece of pastry she held out in front of him. He carefully took the croissant piece, his fingers brushing against her as he did so. He stuck the pastry in his mouth, watching Sooyeon as she watched him, waiting for his reaction. He closed his eyes, enjoying the taste on his tongue.

“This is incredible!”

“I know right!” 

From that moment on, the ice was broken, and the soulmates were able to talk freely, the conversation flowing from one topic to the next. Classes, majors, interests, hobbies, movies, music - they get lost in talking to each other and listening to the other’s answers, their passion and drive. They ate the pastries together, hands meeting in the middle of the table as they talked, fingers gently intertwining as they talked. The time seems to fly and stand still at the same time - Sooyeon and Hongseok are in their own little world inside the coffee bar. They don’t notice when several hours pass by and the employees begin to clean and close up. 

When the cashier walks up to their table to tell the pair that the coffee bar is closing in 10 minutes, they both look shocked.   
“Oh my gosh we’re so sorry.” “We didn’t even realize, oh my gosh!” The couple stand quickly, cleaning up their mess and pushing in their chairs - less work for the staff to do. They walk out of the coffee bar, Hongseok opening the door for Sooyeon, giving her a small, silly bow as she passed by. They both laugh, enjoying each other’s company as the night winds down. Hongseok walks Sooyeon to her car, brushing his hand against hers before taking it. Sooyeon looked up with a shy smile, her cheeks heating up slightly. When they reach her car, neither of them let go of the other’s hand. Hongseok squeezes her hand lightly, and when Sooyeon looks up at him, she can see a nervous look in his eyes as they shift from her lips, to her eyes, to the ground, and back to her lips.

“Anything wrong?” 

Hongseok shakes his head, seeming to build up his courage. “Can I kiss you?”

Instead of answering, Sooyeon leans in, pressing her lips gently to Hongseok’s in a sweet but quick kiss. She pulls away slightly, giving just enough space so she can look up at him. She can see the twinkle in Hongseok’s eyes, the happiness there. He takes the next step, leaning in for another kiss. As they pull away, both of them had small smiles on their faces. Sooyeon’s heart felt more full than it had in a long time. And Hongseok felt hopeful and happy.

“So… how does another date sound?”

“As long as I can see you before our date…” Sooyeon blushes at Hongseok’s cheekie statement. 

“We can definitely do that.”

Hongseok smiles, waiting for Sooyeon to unlock her car before opening the door for her. After Sooyeon slips in, he shuts the door behind her and backs away, waving as she drives off. He sighs. Damn, he really liked his soulmate… a lot.

As Sooyeon drove away, she couldn’t help but glance at Hongseok in her rearview mirror. Damn, she really liked her soulmate...a lot.


	13. Chapter 13

While they had a date planned for the following Saturday, they honestly saw each other almost every day. They texted each other the day after their date, talking about the most random things in the world. They found it easy to talk to each other, conversation flowing like a breeze through the leaves of the forest. They talked for hours as they studied, enjoying each other’s humor and observations.

They continued texting the next day as they went through their day, messaging between classes. They figured out they had similar breaks between classes and decided to grab lunch together. Sitting together at a small table, they are a lot more comfortable in each other’s presence now.

Throughout the week, the soulmates saw each other every day - eating lunch together, going to the library to study… although sometimes they don’t study, talking and holding hands instead. They got closer and closer as the week went on, growing more comfortable with each other. Sooyeon begins to let any and all of her worries flutter from her mind. She was really happy with Hongseok, eating up his attention and his kindness. Her parents, even Youngbin, were the furthest thing from her mind. Hongseok was a positive light in her life - someone she looked forward to seeing every day. For almost the first time in her life, she held a little peace of freedom in the palm of her hands. She was excited to see where her relationship with her soulmate would go…

~

Their next date was something that Sooyeon had planned - a picnic in a local park. Sooyeon had everything planned - a soft blanket, food packed in a large basket, a speaker playing soft music. When Hongseok arrives with a soft smile on his face, the calming atmosphere is complete. He sat beside her on the blanket, feeding her small pieces of food as they talk.

“Hongseok!” Sooyeon laughs at his question, trying not to spill crumbs from her mouth from the gyeran-mari he had just fed her.

“What? It was a simple question?”

“I think you mean a rather random question!”

“What made you want to ask that question though?”

“Hey, you never know if there is going to be a zombie apocalypse! So answer the question!”

“Fine… I would survive for 3 weeks.”

“Three weeks? In a zombie apocalypse?”

“What? You don’t think I would?” 

“Well if you were by yourself, maybe. But if you were with me… we’d make it several months at least.”

“You’re that confident?”

“Have you seen these?” Jokingly, Hongseok flexes his arms, making his biceps pop. Sooyeon can’t help but admire his muscles as she giggles. 

“Okay, okay… maybe we’d survive for a while longer.”

~

Jiu and Hui had met Hongseok, but they hadn’t really got to spend a lot of time with him. So Sooyeon decided to plan a game night for them all. She pulled out all the stops, making some Japchae, and making their living room a nest of blankets and pillows for everyone to relax on. Jiu helped, setting up some music and letting in the boys when they arrived. The four of them sat around the coffee table, eating their noodles as they set up their game for the evening - Monopoly. As soon as they began to play, Sooyeon knew Hongseok and her friends would get along just fine.

“Dude, you can’t cheat!” Jiu pointed at Hongseok as he raised his hands, trying to profess his innocence. Hui falls back, laughing so hard that he drops all his money on the floor beside him. The four of them laughed through the entire game, teasing and having fun until Hui finally won (Sooyeon and Jiu were convinced he somehow cheated). 

Seeing her friends and her soulmate getting along so well brought a warm feeling to Sooyeon’s heart. Things were really starting to work…

Hongseok was smiling brightly when he drove home that night. He had a really great time with his soulmate and her best friends - it was like he fit right in with them. And that made him feel really good.

~

A few weeks later, the soulmates decided to spend the night in cooking dinner together. Jiu was staying at another friend’s for the night to give Sooyeon and Hongseok some privacy, and honestly, Sooyeon was a little grateful. Not that anything was going to happen… but whatever…. I guess…

Hongseok brought the ingredients for Sooyeon’s favorite dish, bibimbap, and they began prepping all the food together. As they cooked together, they joked around, moving around the space in sync, teasing each other gently while also complementing each other. Sooyeon isn’t sure how that’s possible, but she never feels insulted by Hongseok’s comments. They work in harmony, putting the bibimbap together before bringing it to the living room. Snuggling on the couch, they eat carefully as they watch a random movie they found on tv. While they didn’t talk, the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. They enjoyed the warmth of the person beside them, the comfort of their presence. By the end of the movie, the dishes had been placed aside as they cuddled up in each other’s eyes, Sooyeon’s eyes slowly closing. Hongseok strokes her hair, making her even sleepier as she falls asleep against him. 

He smiles, loving that his soulmate was comfortable enough to sleep against him. As the movie ended, he didn’t want to wake Sooyeon up, so he did his best to gently lift her in his arms. She woke up a little bit, sleepily looking up at him. “You can stay, you know? Just lock the door…” Sooyeon turns her head into his chest, smiling as Hongseok stands in the living room, thinking. 

“Are you sure?” 

She nods against his chest, moving a hand to grip onto his shirt, not wanting to let him go. Hongseok lets out a small giggle, walking towards the front door to lock it before heading up the stairs to Sooyeon’s room. He gently sets her on her bed, sitting her up against the headboard. “Go get in your pjs baby, I’ll be right back.” She nods, getting up slowly to change as Hongseok slips into the bathroom.

That night, they sleep in each other’s arms, comforted by the feel and scent of the other. Neither of them moved, too comfortable holding each other to even turn over. Both Hongseok and Sooyeon’s dreams were filled with the other, their true feelings for each other evident in the way their dream selves treated the other. Both were gentle with their soulmates, wanting to care for and support them in whatever they were doing. They may have only met a little more than a month ago, but they already meant so much to each other. Hongseok and Sooyeon didn’t want to let each other go.

~

It had been two months since they’d met; two months since they had found the person that would support them and be by their side. To celebrate, they decided to go back to White Tulip Coffee Bar. They sat at what was now their usual table, drinks in front of them as they held hands on the table.

“I can’t believe we’ve never talked about this, but what do you want to do after you graduate?”

Hongseok smiles, clearly happy about his future career choice. “I really want to be an English teacher.”

“An English teacher? Why” Sooyeon asks with pure curiosity in her eyes.

Hongseok lights up as he speaks. “In school, English was always my favorite class. Diving into new stories, figuring out what they mean, expressing yourself through writing and language… It always intrigued me. And I’d love to share my love of it with other students one day. I want them to find something they are passionate about and follow it, just like I did.”

As Hongseok talks, Sooyeon can’t help but melt at his thoughtfulness and sweetness. Not everyone had the courage to follow their passion, and she was proud of him for wanting to do so. His future was sure to be filled with happiness and passion - she hoped hers would be too.


	14. Chapter 14

On the next date Hongseok plans, he decides to take Sooyeon to a place that he had come across a while ago. Just a fifteen-minute drive from their campus was a beautiful botanical garden, filled with so many different species of flowers and plants that it seemed the place was full to the brim. He wasn’t certain if Sooyeon would like it or not, but he was curious about the indoor garden and the many flora and fauna. As they drove to the garden, Sooyeon’s eyes lit up, excitement sparkling in her irises.

“We’re going to the botanical garden?? I’ve always wanted to go!!” She bounced in her seat, her joy practically palpable in the air. Hongseok couldn’t help but smile broadly as her elation. He had never seen someone so excited over plants, and he couldn’t wait to see her in the garden and find out why it was so fascinating to her. 

Once the car was parked, Sooyeon bolted from the car, bouncing on her toes as Hongseok opened his door and walked to her side, grabbing her hand in his before walking slowly to the door. Sooyeon bounced at his side, almost skipping as they walked. 

“You really are excited, aren’t you?” Sooyeon nods vigorously, making Hongseok laugh even more. She really was too cute. They bought their tickets and headed through a set of double doors and into the garden. They were immediately surrounded by a bright rainbow and flower petals, the aroma of soil and floral fragrance wafting through the air. 

Sooyeon’s eyes went wide, taking in all the flowers around her, walking to the nearest plant and gently running her fingers along the petals. “Hongseok, this place is amazing!! Thank you thank you thank!” As they walk through each part of the garden, Sooyeon holds onto Hongseok’s hand, leading him around to the different plants to ooh and aah over. Her fascination and interest made Hongseok smile, and he honestly spent most of the day watching Sooyeon as she looked at the nature around her. He was interested in where her fascination with plants came from, but he knew they made her happy. He wanted to see this smile on her face all the time.

~

As Hongseok and Sooyeon continued to date and spend time together, Hongseok began to feel more… confident. Not only was he confident in their budding relationship - he was really enjoying getting to know his soulmate and learning more about her - but he was also starting to feel more confident in himself. He knew that Sooyeon liked him for who he was, and that his friends did too. But being around her brought out his confidence, made him feel like he was enough. And he was really happy with that progress.  
But that didn’t stop him from being nervous the first time she stayed over at his place.

Changgu was over at Anna’s, so they had the place to themselves. But this was the first time they had planned for one of them to stay over at the others place (the night Hongseok stayed at Sooyeon’s had def not been planned, but had been really nice…). That night, they planned a relaxed night in, enjoying some of their favorite movies and doing a little pampering, face masks and the like. And the night starts mostly relaxed until it’s not. Both can feel the nerve building up between them, unsure of what is okay to do or what the other person wants in terms of intimacy. Physical intimacy. Sure, they’d held hands and kissed and cuddled. Heck, they’d slept in each other’s arms that one night. But this was still new territory for them, and they were both nervous. And Hongseok wasn’t sure how to bring it up to talk about it. Luckily, Sooyeon brought it up instead, just getting straight to the point. 

“Hongseok...are you…expecting anything tonight? Because I feel like we haven’t really talked about it, but I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet. But I’m really enjoying spending time with you, and I’m really excited to spend the night here, I just don’t think-” Her words are cut off by Hongseok leaning in to kiss her lips.

“Sooyeon, we don’t have to do anything besides sleep tonight - but we’re on the same page. I’m really enjoying getting to know you, hold your hand, kiss you~” His eyebrows wiggle at the last part, making Sooyeon giggle and any last bit on tension break. Hongseok is quick to pull her into his lap, nuzzling his face into her neck as he hugs her close. Sooyeon’s hands make their way to his hair, carding her fingers through it until Hognseok finally looked up at her. They’re eyes meet, and it was as if they could read the other’s mind, both leaning in, their lips meeting in the middle. The warmth and light of their soulmate bond shone through the room, their connection seeming to grow stronger with each touch of their lips.

~

Changgu and Anna were desperate to meet Sooyeon - they had heard so much about her but had still managed to not meet her. Until Hongseok suggested a double date. 

“Really? A double date? Ooh, that’s so cute! Yes yes yes!” Anna’s excitement was palpable, even making Changgu smile widely at her cuteness. “I can’t wait! And I already have an idea~” Changgu is quick to cover Anna’s mouth then, laughing as he winks at his best friend. 

“Make sure you ask Sooyeon first, but I’m sure we’ll come up with something we can all do together!”

When Hongseok brings up the idea to Sooyeon later, she seems both excited and nervous. Playing with her fingers and biting her lips, she thinks really hard about the proposal. “Do they really want to go on a double date?”

“Yes, they do! You should have seen how excited Anna was… they want to meet the person that has made me the happiest I have ever been.” Sooyeon’s cheeks heat in a blush, smiling at the compliment. 

“I think it could be fun. Let’s do it!”

At the end of the week, the two soulmate pairs were out and about, walking into the local bowling alley, laughing and joking together. The girls had quickly bonded, hanging onto each other as they walked together, walking ahead and leaving their soulmates behind them. The boys couldn’t help but smile and laugh as their girls bonded - it was amazing to see how fast the girls became friends. 

They were all quick to grab their bowling shoes and bowling balls, the girls skipping ahead to their lane while the boys followed behind. At Anna’s insistence (and a pout from Sooyeon), they played a round of boys vs girls before a game of couple vs. couple. Honestly, it didn’t matter to the four of them who won which game - they were too busy have fun, joking and laughing together. And after their games were done and they’d grabbed some food, they headed to a karaoke bar. The rest of the night was spent laughing and singing (both seriously and dramatically) and having a great time. The girls promised each other to hang out soon, and the guys just smiled, loving that their partners got along so well.

~

After Hongseok told her what he wanted to do after graduation, he turned the question around on Sooyeon. “So, what do you want to do after graduation?” Sooyeon pauses, seriously considering the question. She could answer him in several ways, but decided to just… be honest. 

“Well… my parents want me to take over the family business. But that’s never been something I’ve been interested in…”  
Hongseok didn’t interrupt, just watched as she considered her words. 

“I really… I really want to own my own greenhouse and flower and garden shop.”

Well, that wasn’t what he had fully expected… Hongseok knew that Sooyeon took some biology classes, but hadn’t fully realized the extent of her passion. At his wide eyes, Sooyeon continues. “I’ve always really liked plants - my parent’s house has this beautiful garden that I always spent a lot of time in, and I was always asking our gardner about the plants and how to take care of them… and it’s something I really enjoy. I’d love to share my passion of plants with other people, you know?”

“Like how I want to share my passion for literature with others.” Hongseok smiles, his eyes crinkling into little crescents. “That’s really amazing Sooyeon! If that’s something you want to pursue, I think you should go for it, I know you’d be amazing at anything you put your mind to.”

Sooyeon smiled at him, but it didn’t quite meet her eyes - there was something taht looked a lot like sadness behind them, like she already knew that she couldn’t follow her dream… Hongseok hated to see her upset and decided not to push it, wanting to enjoy his time with her. Reaching across the table, he grabs her hand, squeezing it gently before changing the topic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of right now, this is the last chapter I have written - but I'll start working on the second half of the story soon! I hope you've enjoyed it so far!


End file.
